GEO793 - The Geography of Toronto Analytical Essay

Cultural landscapes typically include symbols, including vernacular architecture, that are associated with particular cultural groups, including ethnocultures, subcultures, or countercultures. You can consider sports, theatre, or even music types as subcultures. Thus landscapes are more than just a building or site. You should think of a neighbourhood, area or district so you can contextualize your findings.

Ethnic Economies: Economic sub-systems within national economies where the capital, business ownership, workers, and customers are associated with a particular ethnic group. Also known as an “enclave” economy. The assignment asks you to learn about one of Toronto’s ethnic economies through background research (online and library research). You will answer 11 questions about your chosen site (cultural landscape or ethnic economy) from the list below (or select your own) first.

Answering these questions (pages 2 and 3) will be used as the primary source material for your analytical essay. Details and examples from your findings and research must be used in your essay.

This assignment was inspired by this article by Toronto Star Food Writer, Karon Liu. Have a read to learn how he conducted his research, and what he found. https://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2018/12/11/how-the-greek-community- shaped-torontos-diner-culture.html

Liu was inspired by eating at a restaurant: “I always wondered why old-school diners and burger joints have souvlaki and Greek salads on the menu” (Tweet, 12/12/2018, @karonliu). Let your imagination run wild with this assignment!

1. What is your research question? What do you want to know about this cultural landscape or ethnic economy? Make it quite specific. (140 characters (not words), e.g., Why do burger joints have Greek salads on the menu? Or Why is Chinatown where it is? Or Why are there Polish restaurants in Roncesvalles?

2. Why do you want to know about this cultural landscape or ethnic economy? What spurred your interest? (Narrative response 280 characters (not words), e.g., I was eating at a burger joint and I wondered why I saw Greek salads on the menu, at many different locations. I had a theory it might be because of Greek immigration, but I wanted to find out.)  1/7 Section 2: Background Research

3. Do your research on 3 newspaper articles on your topic. You can use the Toronto Star (1894-2015, 1971-2016, 1985-2019), Toronto Sun, or Globe and Mail (1936-2015, 1985-2019). If you find any other local newspapers, or international newspapers writing on your place (reviews of restaurants for example), you can also use those. 3.1. Summarize the findings of these secondary source articles in 140 characters (not words) each.

4. Do your research on 3 academic journal (peer-reviewed) articles on your topic. Use RULA or Google Scholar. They do not necessarily have to be from Toronto. You could examine Chinatowns in other cities or how Syrian refugees are creating their own local economies. 4.1. Summarize the findings of these academic or scholarly sources in 280 characters (not words) each.

5. Do your research on 3 popular media sources on your topic. These can be websites, non-academic (“coffee table”) books, songs, films, television shows, webisodes, etc. 5.1. Summarize the findings of these popular media sources in 140 characters (not words) each.

6. After reviewing your web, library, and media research, draw a map of your cultural landscape or ethnic economy (or at least a part of it that you can visit online). Draw the main streets that act as the boundary. Locate 4 major landmarks in the area on the map; write a short desсrіption of these landmarks. You can use Google Maps or Google Earth for your research for this element, but draw the map by hand on paper (You can scan the map or take a picture of your drawn map and attach it to your assignment as an appendix which will be uploaded to D2L through Turnitin along with your assignment).

Section 3: Online Field Research

7. Go online using Google map street views into your cultural landscape or ethnic economy. Document it with pictures. Include 3 iconic pictures here.

8. Check if there are any symbols, artifacts or architecture from groups who had lived in the place in the past? Take note of places of worship, old signs, old buildings, and historic plaques, renovated or refurbished sites.  1/7

9. What are some indicators of the economic wellbeing of the area? (Be creative: how would you describe the area to someone else? Is it wealthy? Is it poor? Why would you say this?).

10. What are some indicators of the cultural wellbeing of the area? (Is it a diverse space? Are there indicators of cultural identity?)

11. What are some indicators of the environmental wellbeing of the area? (Is it environmentally interesting and biodiverse? Is there litter or garbage found on the streets? Do you see signs of neglect in the environment?)

How to craft the Analytical Essay

The Main Assignment 1500-2000 words submitted to D2L through Turnitin in PDF format 30% of final grade 20% late penalty per calendar day The analytical essay assignment is where you write the research you conducted in the previous 11 explained questions into an essay.

Since this is an upper level liberal studies course, it is expected that you use some higher order, conceptual thinking. For this assignment, you need to connect your own research with research of scholars in the field. Higher order thinking connects concrete examples to concepts (abstractions, like place or space) and theories (sets of abstractions brought together, like gentrification).

In your essays you must connect things you see online through Google map or Google earth (street views) in your cultural landscape or ethnic economy to broader concepts or theories. If you see Starbucks in your neighbourhood, you may be able to link it to gentrification. If you are studying an ethnic economy, you may be able to link it to the phenomenon of concentration. You will need to understand the readings and think about them in order to connect your own street view observations on Google map to more abstract ideas.  1/7

➢ The essay assignment should have the following 8 major parts:

1. Title Page: Make a creative title for your essay.

2. The Introduction (around 200 words): here you introduce your topic, your cultural landscape or ethnic economy, and your outline (your research question and what your main arguments will be that will answer your research question). In-text citation is needed for all of the assignment.

3. The Literature Review (around 450 words): here you will summarize all 9 researched articles and sources, highlighting how they are important to your argument.

4. The Research questions (around 450 words): here you summarize your research questions that you have already answered, what were the main findings from your background and observations. Include the 3 pictures (photos) with captions and sources or citation.

5. The Analysis (around 450 words): this is the meat and potatoes of your analytical essay where you link up your literature review with the research observation, using them to craft an argument about your cultural landscape or ethnic economy. These would be elaborated in your journal articles.

6. The Conclusion (around 250 words): here you conclude your essay by summarizing your argument, and your evidence.

7. Bibliography: here you have a list of your works cited, or the bibliography in full. You may use MLA, APA, Chicago, or Harvard (or another standard social science format). In-text citation is needed for all of the assignment.

8. Appendix: here you attach the hand drawn map of your cultural landscape or ethnic economy research area.

Some examples of concepts from the course readings

• colonization (Bobiwash, 1997; Relph, 2014) • concentration (Lo, 2006) • creative cities (Catungal et al., 2009) • decolonization (Bobiwash, 1997) • displacement (Catungal et al., 2009) • ecological restoration (Yokohari and Amati, 2005) • ethnic economy (Lo, 2006) • ethnic enclave (Lo, 2006) • gentrification (Hackworth and Rekers, 2005; August, 2014; Moos, 2016) • housing (Whitzman, and Slater, 2006)  1/7 • mobility (Mitra, et al., 2014) • redevelopment (Mathews, 2014) • residential location (Lo, 2006 • revitalization (James, 2010) • segregation (Lo, 2006) • settlement (Logan and Murde, 2016) • spatial assimilation (Lo, 2006) • stigmatization (August, 2014) • transportation (Mitra et al., 2014) • youthification (Moos, 2016) Some Geography of Toronto related articles, look for concepts within Chaudhary, A. R., & Guarnizo, L. E. (2016). Pakistani immigrant organisational spaces in Toronto and New York City. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 42(6), 1013-1035. https://journals-scholarsportal- info.ezproxy.lib.ryerson.ca/pdf/1369183x/v42i0006/1013_piositanyc.xml Currah, A. (2002). Behind the web store: the organisational and spatial evolution of multichannel retailing in Toronto. Environment and Planning A, 34(8), 1411-1441. http://journals.sagepub.com.ezproxy.lib.ryerson.ca/doi/pdf/10.1068/a3562 Hiebert, D. (1993). Jewish immigrants and the garment industry of Toronto, 1901– 1931: A study of ethnic and class relations. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 83(2), 243-271. http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.lib.ryerson.ca/stable/pdf/2563495.pdf?refreqid ＝excelsior%3A3d06d631cb1677e2e8fbfe59bfd3e18c Nash, C. J., & Gorman-Murray, A. (2015). Recovering the gay village: A comparative historical geography of urban change and planning in Toronto and Sydney. Historical Geography, 43, 84-105. https://ejournals.unm.edu/index.php/historicalgeography/article/view/3188/ Nash-GormanMurray Rankin, K. N., & McLean, H. (2015). Governing the commercial streets of the city: New terrains of disinvestment and gentrification in Toronto′s inner suburbs. Antipode, 47(1), 216-239. https://journals-scholarsportal- info.ezproxy.lib.ryerson.ca/pdf/00664812/v47i0001/216_gtcsotagitis.xml Ray, B., & Preston, V. (2015). Working with diversity: A geographical analysis of ethno-racial discrimination in Toronto. Urban Studies, 52(8), 1505-1522. https://journals-scholarsportal- info.ezproxy.lib.ryerson.ca/pdf/00420980/v52i0008/1505_wwdagaoedit.xml Takahashi, K. (2017). Toronto’s Little Portugal: gentrification and social relations among local entrepreneurs. Urban Geography, 38(4), 578-605. https://journals-scholarsportal- info.ezproxy.lib.ryerson.ca/details/02723638/v38i0004/578_tlpgasrale.xml  1/7 Walks, R. A. (2001). The social ecology of the post-Fordist/global city?

Economic restructuring and socio-spatial polarisation in the Toronto urban region. Urban Studies, 38(3), 407-447. https://journals-scholarsportal- info.ezproxy.lib.ryerson.ca/pdf/00420980/v38i0003/407_tseotppittur.xml Zhuang, Z. C., & Chen, A. X. (2017).

The role of ethnic retailing in retrofitting suburbia: case studies from Toronto, Canada. Journal of Urbanism: International Research on Placemaking and Urban Sustainability, 10(3), 275-295. https://journals-scholarsportal- info.ezproxy.lib.ryerson.ca/pdf/17549175/v10i0003/275_troeriscsftc.xml

Answering these questions will help you to craft your essay.

1. What is your creative essay title?

2. What is your cultural landscape/ethnic economy?

3. What is your research question? (can be shifted from your original one)

4. What is your answer to your research question (argument connecting your evidence to some concepts or theories)?

5. What 3 sub-arguments are you going to use to support your argument?

6. What pieces of evidence are you going to use to support your sub- arguments?

7. Which concepts are you going to use to show your use of higher order thinking in your analysis?

Can you define these terms? Where did you locate these definitions?

Select one of the following citation styles to use:

Example in MLA Brubaker, Bill. ″New Health Center Targets County′s Uninsured Patients.″ Washington Post, 24 May 2007, p. LZ01.

Example in APA Schultz, S. (2005, December 28). Calls made to strengthen state energy policies. The Country Today, pp. 1A, 2A.

Example in Chicago Deo, Nisha. “Visiting Professor Lectures on Photographer.” Exponent (West Lafayette, IN), Feb. 13, 2009.